
The idea in
the "Transplantation" proposal to transplant favorable elements of
the old and new urban districts was extremely clear and attractive. Introducing into the large-scaled new
urban district places that have the human scale and physical sense of the old
urban district has the potential to create a new district. What element ought to be introduced
from the new urban district into the old urban district? In this proposal, a large plaza was
created, but I don't believe that is the answer. I think it could be, for example, the sense of cleanliness
or the large human scale of the new urban district.
With
respect to the "Hotel/Motel" proposal, I think there is a
contradiction in trying to rebuild the urban district of Taichung using motels,
which are extremely closed units.
However, I think I understand how hotels can become urban lobbies.
The
"Gear" proposal was to engage two gears, one large and the other
small, in the city and to control and manipulate them. However, it wasn't clear what form of
building these gears would take.
Gears are a metaphor, so it is important to translate the idea into
form. Unfortunately this was
not made clear in the proposal.
In the
"Motorbike" proposal, motorbikes are introduced into buildings in the
city. That itself is interesting,
but the implications of that ought to have been explored further. Do the designs of motorbikes remain as
they are? How is the existing infrastructure used? Those things are unclear. In addition, the speed of motorbikes is
quite different from the walking speed of humans; therefore, the relationship
to pedestrian spaces ought to have been considered as well.
The
"MRT" proposal connects the old and new urban districts
three-dimensionally with new transport.
The fact that the MRT travels on various levels of the city is what
makes this proposal attractive. I
think the way it uses the city three-dimensionally is good. If the relationship between automobiles
and motorbikes had been elaborated a little further, then automobiles might not
have entered all streets in the urban area, streets could have been used as
green roads or parks, and the proposal might have been more relevant to the old
urban district. which is experiencing a hollowing out.
The
"River" proposal connects the four separate rivers now flowing
through Taichung and uses them as a canal. What is interesting is that it allows the river and riverbanks
to be used on various levels; they can be used for transportation and accessed
three-dimensionally. People can
enjoy the rivers as a part of everyday life. The idea is quite interesting.